Michigan State secondary still deep despite CB Josiah Scott's injury

Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio speaks during media day press conference on Monday.
Phil Friend, Lansing State Journal

Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton is tackled by Michigan State Spartans safety Khari Willis during the second quarter of a game at Spartan Stadium.(Photo: Mike Carter, USA TODAY Sports)

EAST LANSING — Michigan State’s secondary, with all four starters returning, looked to be shaping up as one of the best in Mark Dantonio’s 12 seasons.

Which is saying something. The "No Fly Zone" of 2012-13 set the bar high for Spartan defensive backs to follow.

Then sophomore cornerback Josiah Scott went down last week during practice with a non-contact injury that will force him to miss two months. That means MSU’s depth and talent will be tested early.

However, the 12th-ranked Spartans believe the dropoff will be minimal.

“The secondary can be as good as we want it to be,” returning cornerback Justin Layne said Monday at MSU’s media day. “We just gotta come out locked in. So far, we’ve been locked in, and we just gotta keep going and make sure the younger guys know what they’re supposed to do, make sure we stay in the playbook and make sure we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves and get the big head.”

Statistically, the Spartans’ secondary was sound last season — especially considering there were no seniors in the group.

MSU finished 37th in pass defense among Football Bowl Subdivision schools at 202.3 yards per game, giving up 15 passing touchdowns and picking off 14 passes in 2017. It was a slight improvement from the 206.2 yards allowed in 2016 by a veteran group, which also gave up 19 TD passes with just eight picks.

Opponents last year connected on 56.5 percent of their passes, and of those 241 completions against the secondary, only 29 went for 20-or-more yards. The Spartans held opponents under 200 yards passing in eight games and to less than 100 yards in the air twice.

A physical 6-foot-3, 185-pound converted wide receiver, Layne showed his developing comfort level. He made 40 tackles, had eight pass breakups and picked off a pass last season.

Michigan #84 Sean McKeon can't come up with the catch in the endzone as Michigan State #2 defends Justin Layne during first half action between Michigan State and Michigan at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Saturday, October 7, 2017.
(Photo: Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press)

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Scott earned Big Ten Network All-Freshman Team honors after making 30 tackles with a pair of interceptions in 12 games. He also led the secondary with 12 passes defended and 10 breakups.

“I think what he lacks, I have, and what I lack, he has,” Layne said of playing opposite Scott. “It’s kind of like we’re fire and ice. If you got fire and ice, you don’t lose.”

With Scott out, the Spartans could go with 6-foot, 175-pound junior Josh Butler, who made four starts last season and played in all 13 games. Or they could turn to one of a number of up-and-coming cornerbacks who have impressed coaches — redshirt freshmen Shakur Brown and Tre Person; true freshman early enrollee Kalon Gervin; or his classmates Chris Jackson and Davion Williams.

“We got a lot of depth there,” new defensive backs coach Paul Haynes said Monday at media day. “We can move and switch or move guys up to get four to five guys ready to play in a game. … And the thing about Josiah is he was suspended for the first (half of the opener vs. Utah State) anyway, so we had to have a plan to get guys ready to roll anyway from the bowl game. The plan was already in place — now, it’s just going to be a little bit longer.”

Safety may be MSU’s deepest position group on either side of the ball.

Senior Khari Willis (71 tackles, two interceptions) returns as a downhill force against the run at strong safety and one of the team’s most vocal leaders. Free safety David Dowell, a first-team All-Big Ten pick by the media last season, also emerged as a playmaker with five interceptions, tying for second in the league and 11th in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Senior Matt Morrissey returns for his fifth season, while fourth-year senior Grayson Miller could slide back if needed after a spring move to linebacker.

They will be challenged for snaps by more fresh faces.

Coaches are high on true freshman Xavier Henderson, who enrolled in January and appeared to emerge as MSU’s top choice to play nickelback in third-down defense packages. And Dominique Long, who starred on special teams as a true freshman last fall, adds speed and tenacity that could force him onto the field more on defense.